Chapter 12
The man came out wearing a sleep mask and pajamas, yawning as if he wasn’t fully awake. When he saw her, he smiled mischievously.
Startled, Seol stepped back, instinctively raising her hands to adjust her mask.
“Me? I’m someone who’s deeply connected to the owner of this house.”
“…Isn’t this Mr. Kang Tae-joo’s place?”
“It is.”
But what did he mean by “deeply connected”? Seol tilted her head, confused.
“What kind of relationship is that?”
“We’re together 24/7. Eat together, drink together…”
“…”
“Oh, and sleep together, too.”
The man crossed his arms with a smirk that made him look like a mischievous royal court troublemaker. The way he teased felt oddly familiar.
Seol stared at the cheeky man, her memory piecing things together. His carefree tone, his deeply tanned skin… Wait. Could it be?
Her eyes widened as realization hit her.
“You’re that guy! My teacher’s clingy buddy!”
“Guy? Seriously?”
“Yes, you’re Mr. Choi’s son, right? The one who used to follow my teacher everywhere back in the day!”
“Hey, why do you call my dad ‘mister’ but also call me that?” he retorted, clearly annoyed.
Her guess was spot on.
“But why are you here? Where’s my teacher?”
“Didn’t you hear me? He’s not here. And he’s not coming back, so stop looking for him.”
“Wait, mister—”
“Ahem.”
When she tried to stop him from closing the door, he glared at her.
Seol hesitated, then ventured, “…Then, uncle?”
“Call me Secretary Oppa. Sec-re-ta-ry Oppa.”
“Okay, Secretary Oppa,” Seol replied obediently.
He was her teacher’s closest friend, so she needed to make a good impression. With her strategy set, Seol beamed up at him with hopeful eyes.
“By the way, Secretary Oppa… do you like kimbap?”
“This kimbap is amazing. Wow.”
Seokjin stuffed another piece into his mouth and glanced at Tae-joo, who was doing push-ups on the floor with his feet propped on the sofa. The man didn’t even look tired.
“Are you seriously not going to eat? I’ll finish it all, then.”
Seokjin raised his voice, but Tae-joo kept exhaling steadily, focused on his workout.
“Did she put extra seasoning in this? It’s going down so easily. By the way, that Yoon Seol girl… she’s not just doll-like; she’s even prettier now. I thought she was still some kid because you kept calling her a child, but wow. She’s matured. Kids these days grow up fast.”
Seokjin chuckled, chewing on his food.
“So, is that why you’re avoiding your place and hiding out in a hotel? Because she’s dangerous?”
As Seokjin teased, Tae-joo stopped his workout and reached for his phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Calling 112. I’ll report a lunatic for harassment.”
“Ugh, fine, I’ll shut up.”
Seokjin grumbled and set the kimbap aside, throwing a tissue box at Tae-joo, who batted it away effortlessly.
“Why are you going to such extremes to avoid her? Leaving your apartment, even.”
Tae-joo pulled a bottle of water from the fridge and glanced at the kimbap box Seokjin had left open. Seol had been dropping by almost daily with packed lunches.
“If a scandal breaks out, she’ll be the one who suffers the most, don’t you think?”
Reporters would dig into her life, eventually connecting her to Tae-joo and, by extension, Chairman Kang. Living under the label of Kang Tae-joo’s relationship was nothing short of a nightmare.
“Then just tell her to stop coming. You’re good at that—shutting down girls with the coldest face and harshest words. Why not now?”
Tae-joo shrugged as he finished his water.
“Good question. Why can’t I do it?”
“Are you trying to act like a real teacher in front of her?”
“Shut up.”
He tossed the empty bottle at Seokjin.
“…I don’t get it either. I try to be firm, but when she looks like she’s about to cry, it’s like my brain and mouth freeze.”
Rubbing his jaw in frustration, Tae-joo looked genuinely conflicted.
Seokjin muttered, “I think I know why.”
Maybe Tae-joo saw a part of his late actress mother in Yoon Seol. Of course, Seokjin wasn’t going to say that out loud.
“Face it, Kang Tae-joo. You like her. You like her.”
“She still looks like a kid to me. You think I’d feel that way?”
“Well, you’re both in your twenties now. Why not?”
“Whatever. I’m finishing this deal with Director Jason and leaving the country.”
“That deal will take a while, though.”
Jason was known for only signing contracts with people who shared his artistic vision. Their last meeting had turned into a five-hour debate about Shakespeare and Russian literature.
“Ugh, artists.”
Seokjin shuddered at the thought. He was relieved he hadn’t been there for that nightmare. For someone who didn’t seem the type, Kang Tae-joo was a literature geek through and through—a dangerous mix of intellect and charisma.
“Anyway, while I’m handling this, you keep her in check.”
“Keep who in check?”
Feeling uneasy, Seokjin grabbed the kimbap box lid like a shield.
Later, Seokjin adopted a serious expression as he faced Seol.
“You wanted to say something to me…?”
Seol asked hesitantly, removing her mask and hat. The tension in the air was palpable as Seokjin crossed his arms.
“Yes, I’ll get straight to the point. I hear you’ve been saying you want to marry Tae-joo. Is that true?”
“Yes. I like him.”
“While I understand your feelings, it’s best if you give up on him.”
Seol frowned.
Why should I?
What’s this guy’s problem?
She forced herself to stay polite. Tae-joo’s closest ally was someone she needed to win over.
Seokjin slid a brown envelope onto the table. “Open it.”
Seol cautiously picked it up and peeked inside, finding a stack of photos.
“What’s this…?”
Her expression froze as she flipped through the pictures.
There was Tae-joo with a blonde woman, arms linked.
Another, receiving a cheek kiss from a Hispanic woman.
Yet another, being hugged by a cheerleader.
And many more.
“That’s the real Kang Tae-joo,” Seokjin said grimly.
In truth, the photos were carefully chosen to seem incriminating, though they were entirely innocent moments from social and business events. Still, they got the reaction he wanted—kind of.
“Is she… crying?”
Seokjin panicked as Seol’s big eyes welled with tears. Suddenly, he understood why Tae-joo had passed this job on to him.
“This is why he couldn’t do it himself,” Seokjin muttered.
Still, he had to do his job.
“Kang Tae-joo is a certified playboy. Since high school, he’s juggled girlfriends like a pro. Women would even get into catfights over him!”
Seol’s silence made him hopeful that his plan was working.
“Listen, he’s not marriage material. Trust me, he’s just a heartbreaker.”
Finally, Seol let out a deep sigh and set the photos down.
“See? You’re disappointed, right? Now you can move—”
“I knew it.”
“…What?”
“I knew my teacher wouldn’t have been left alone. Of course, he’d have women flocking to him.”
“…Huh?”
“And isn’t it classic romance? The playboy meets his true love and changes for her. That’s the ultimate love story!”
Wait, what?
Seokjin stared at her, stunned.
She was tougher than he thought.
